Deep Forest Brown vs Expressive Plum
Both are Sherwin-Williams colors. Both sit in the grey family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. At LRV 12 vs 4, Expressive Plum will read as the brighter of the two — a 8-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. They share a neutral quality — useful to know if you're layering them in the same space. At ΔE 18.5, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Deep Forest Brown vs Expressive Plum in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Deep Forest Brown and Expressive Plum in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
House
At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. The brightness difference is modest but present — Expressive Plum gives the walls a little more lift.
Color Details
Deep Forest Brown vs Expressive Plum Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Deep Forest Brown on one side and Expressive Plum on the other.
Digital color is approximate. These simulations are generated from the manufacturer's hex values and overlaid on grayscale room photos — your screen's calibration, brightness, and viewing angle all affect how they render. Before committing to either color, test physical samples in your own space under the light you actually live with.